Two Hearts Against the Stars
by Volcanostar-kun
Summary: Steve Rodgers had always loved Natasha Romanoff. Their mutual devotion to duty had kept them away from each other, and in the end, their story was fated to end in tragedy. But as Steve Rodgers returns through time to replace the Infinity Stones, and idea comes to him. If one can travel through time...what if one can break even the boundaries of life and death?


Steve Rodgers, the Captain America, floated through the void of time, space, and the quantum realm. He had gone and put all of the infinity stones back, and as he had done it, he had smiled. He had saved all the world, and Thanos was dead. The world was safe, and now he was finally going to get that one last dance.

But something was spinning in Steve's mind. Perhaps his feelings for Peggy had not been so strong after all. He had known another woman far longer then Peggy, and far more. The kiss in the shopping mall still burned through Steve's mind. It had been fake, yes, but in Steve's mind, it had been real.

He was in love with Natasha Romanov, and, by george, he wished he had made the move sooner. It was only the old fashioned ideas in his mind, the anti-russian ways of the time he had been brought up, that had stopped him. Steve was not like that now. He knew the Russians were not evil. Natasha was the opposite of evil. To him especially, she was _very, very _good.

Steve continued to float through time and space. Crossbones floated past him, scowling. Steve scowled back...then he stopped. Crossbones. Why was he here? Brock Rumlow, the Hydra Agent had died years ago. Steve watched as Crossbones floated into the void, still scowling. Then he thought of something. Between space and time. That was where they were. Could they, perhaps, be between life and death, too? Steve had to check.

Excitedly Steve began to swim through the air, past the floating bodies of fallen heroes like The Ancient One and King T'chaka. They seemed alive. That would mean Natasha would also be alive.

Then Steve saw her. That shock of red hair. That beautiful face. He swam faster. Natasha saw him.

"Hey, Steve." she smiled flirtatiously. "Couldn't leave your best girl, huh?"

"No way, Nat." Steve shook his head, scooping her up in his arms. "I love you."

"Thought you'd never say it." Natasha chuckled.

Then, at long last, they kissed. It was a long kiss...one Steve knew he'd remember for his entire life.

Then Steve, now carrying Natasha, began to swim through time and space again. He was going to change his plans. He had been planning to live out his life in the past, but with Natasha, that was no longer possible. He was going to go back to the present. The time of Captain America was still over, though. Now that Thanos was dead, there was no more need for the Avengers.

But alas. If only that were true.

* * *

Far away, in deep space, a mammoth fleet of alien battleships lay in wait. Each ship was designed similar to Thanos's warship, _Sanctuary II, _only that there were millions of them, floating ominously and surrounded by more smaller ships then there were grains of sand on Earth. It was a fleet so big, even if the Kree, Skrulls, Ravangers, Nova Corps, and Shield combined all of their ships, it would not even be one hundreth of this fleet. The people of earth were lucky that it was galaxies away. Even a tiny division of this fleet from Thanos had been enough to hold the galaxy in terror. But their luck was about to change.

One of the circle-shaped ships used by the Thanos army was making it's way to a ship in the centre. This ship was gigantic, far bigger then any of the other ships in the fleet. It was large enough to dwarf the moon in size. It's shape was similar to that of a battleaxe and from a distance it's surface appeared to be completely smooth...however when you drew closer you would see that there was a gigantic city on top of it that covered it's surface. Needless to say, the entire ship was packed with guns. The smaller ship made it's way into the one of the dreadnaught's billions of hanger bays. The clock was ticking for Earth.

The driver of the smaller ship, a humble chitauri, made his way through the huge corridors of the flagship. He passed other Chitauri who looked different from him, as they wore spiky black armour and had guns that, as the Chitauri saw, were powered by a very strong power source. "Each of those guns is comparable to Stormbreaker!" the Chitauri thought in awe.

The Chitauri reached the throne room. The throne room was a gigantic chamber, made of black stone. A huge stained-glass window behind the throne looked out onto space. The Chitauri knew it was not glass though...it was made of jewels. Surrounding the throne room was a gigantic lake of lava, that was so hot the Chitauri began to feel uncomfortable. This lava had a symbolic purpose. Each drop of lava was taken from a world that had been crushed by the army. There was enough lava in the room to fill a large lake. Each drop was little more then a teaspoon. The amount of planets crushed were in the trillions. The Chitauri felt awe...and fear. He bowed before the figure on the diamond throne before him.

"Emperor A'lars, sir, I bring news. Your son has been killed."

The figure on the throne laughed. "Rise, peon. You needith not bother me with such inconsequential news."

Shaking, the Chitauri rose to gaze upon the face of his overlord for the first time. A'lars...supreme ruler of the Titan Empire. While the Titans had destroyed themselves on their homeworld, refusing to listen to Thanos' plan to save them, Thanos and his family had departed from Titan and built an empire in deep space. A'lars was powerfully built, his skin purple like his sons. He was older then Thanos, but had aged very well. One might have even though he was younger then his son. Unlike Thanos, A'lars had hair, which was white and extremely long. He was dressed in gold armour with spikes, the tips of the spikes orange as if they were red-hot. The armour was decorated with jewels from all over the galaxy. In the centre of the armour was a glowing golden jewel. The Chitauri almost fainted when he saw it. This was the Heart of the Universe, the greatest source of power in reality. Even the infinity stones were born from the Heart of the Universe.

Surrounding A'lars were his three children, Drertos, Mikdos, and Reia. Drertos was the oldest. He was tall and skinny compared to the rest of his family and he also had long white hair. He wore a curved sword at his back. Mikdos was skinny and had golden glasses. A sly expression was on his purple face. Reia had black hair unlike the rest of her family, and wore an eye-patch. A light glowed from her eye patch. The Chitauri shuddred...were the rumours true? Was Reia such an alchemist she had managed to implant the power of a black hole itself into her left eye.

As A'lars looked as the Chitauri, he laughed, lounging on his diamond throne. He took a sip of wine from the diamond wine glass he was holding. "Thou art close-minded, peon." he said aloofly, his voice sending chills down the Chitauri's spine. "Think I care for Thanos? I care not for him. He got us out of Titan...my care for him ended there. He was too weak...too much of a familiar. Even with the power of those infinty stones, he failed to match the level of myself, or even the youngest of my children. I care not for him. It pleases me that he is dead...he sullies the family name with his inferiority." A'lars laughed lightly. The Chitauri began to edge towards the door. His intimidation was too much to bear now.

"Still..." A'lars continued with another aristocratic sip. "I think it fitting to destroy Earth. The fact that mere insects could destroy even the weakest of my sons is vile to me. I will define the concept of pain for their pleasure."

A'lars stood up, his long white hair spilling out behind him like a cape. "Drertos!" he ordered his eldest son. "Make ready the fleet. We depart for earth. It shall burn with the fire of a septtillion suns."

* * *

Steve and Natasha emerged back onto Earth. They were right before the white house. It was the best view Steve could ask for as he took Natasha's hand. "So, Nat." he smiled. "When's the wedding going to be?"

"S...soon." Natasha laughed, brushing back her crimson locks. "I just need to clear something up with Tony first."

Steve became worried. He let go of Natasha's hand and took a step back. "Nat." he said seriously. "Don't tell me you have a history with that playboy. You should know that he had a happy marriage with Pepper...and that he's dead."

"Tony's dead!?" Natasha exclaimed. Her eyes filled with tears. Steve watched as his love cried. Natasha rarely showed emotions. When she did it was intense. Natasha leaned on Steve's shoulder and Steve hugged her as she let out her grief. When she was done Steve looked at her seriously.

"Nat, what went on between you and Tony?"

"N...nothing like that, don't worry." Natasha responded. "We were never a couple. Tony liked Pepper...even in his playboy days he never would've abandoned her, I think. But this was back when Tony was drunk...and weird. He made me promise that I would marry no one but James Rhodes. I said yes because I thought it was a joke but..." she smiled sadly. "Turns out drunk Tony means business. There are hidden Iron Man suits all over the world that will activate if I marry anyone but Rhodey. I've checked out the specs. They're tough, Steve. I don't think I could beat them. I don't think you could, too."

Steve thought hard about it. That Tony Stark and his tricks. "Maybe I can't win, Nat." he said, stroking her cheek romantically. "But we can."

"I know, Steve." Natasha replied, her eyes shining. Then they met in a kiss.

The kiss was rudely interupted by the clanging of Iron boots. "Hey...you trying to take away my gal, Cap?" came a voice. It was Rhodey.

"Rhodey." Steve said, turning around to look at the man, who was in his War Machine suit. "Tony was drunk. It doesn't count. Come on. Help us destroy those suits Tony left behind."

"Uh...no way, soldier!" Rhodey exclaimed, lowering the visor on his suit. "You think I'm gonna let a hot babe like the Black Widow escape me? Uh, no!" he pointed the big gun on his suit right at Cap's face.

"Snap out of it, Rhodes." Steve said sternly, drawing his shield. "You've been placed under some kind of mind control."

"It's not mind control." Natasha contradicted him, readying her fists. "It's a common psychological issue soldiers go through. They dedicate so much of their life to duty, they neglect love. Rhodey is so desperate for love he doesn't even care that it was a bad decision made by a drunk Tony Stark. Rhodey, you need to see a therapist."

"I don't need a therapist, Nat!" Rhodey exclaimed. "I just need you."

"Looks like we're going to have to do this the hard way." Steve glared, readying his shield for the throw.

"Ha!" Rhodey laughed, rocketing into the sky. "I know I'm not good enough to beat you both. But I can beat you at your own game." he opened radio communications. "US military! This is Colonel James Rhodes! I'm ordering a helicopter strike on White House grounds, right now! Target is Captain America! Oh...and make sure there is at least ten helicopters!"

* * *

Emperor A'lars stood before the massive window on the bridge of his warship. The rest of his fleet surrounded him as they completed the warp to Earth. The defenceless planet loomed before the godlike armada. A'lars smiled. This looked like a good world. Earth's heroes might be a fun exercise for him. Maybe he'd challenge himself. He'd tie both arms behind his back and fight the Avengers, without using the Heart of the Universe. No...that didn't seem like a good enough challege. How about both arms, and both feet? Yes...that would be about even, although he'd still have to hold back a lot.

"Our ships have Earth surrounded, father." Reia said, coming up to A'lars. "Our scanners detect heroes from all around the galaxy coming to Earth to defend it. The Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor, Captain Marvel...all of them."

"Enough, daughter of mine!" A'lars smiled, shaking his head. "Such insignificant names mean nothing to me. Witness this." A'lars willed a hero from Earth to appear before him. Instantly Doctor Strange appeared.

Steven Strange looked over the Emperor of Titan and his children, and his face grew a pasty white. "N...no." he gasped. "These are the beings the prophecies warned me of. The Dark King who holds the Stars in his Hand."

Doctor Strange held up his hands, creating two magical barriers. "Watch yourself." he said cautiously. "I'm the Sorcerer Supreme."

"A juvenile term." A'lars laughed. "Come, child. Give it your best shot."

Doctor Strange paused. His heart beat. He thought of everyone back on Earth. He thought of Captain America and Natasha Romanoff, who he had just magically sensed were back together. Then he gazed right at A'lars. "Sorry about this, but this is going to hurt." he said, before twisting his fingers together. The spell he was about to use was forbidden by all the wizards of the universe. Even Dormammu would dare not use it. It was simply known as "The Void". It would compress all matter into a black hole that sucked in even time, rending it nonexistant. It was ridiculously dangerous, but Strange knew that no other spell in his vast mind would do it. Strange chanted the words, molding the universe to his will. Light flashed as time, space, and reality itself bended before the Sorcerer Supreme. Strange knew that the shockwaves from the spell would destroy thousands of innocent planets, but it was a sacrifice he had to make. Thankfully he was able to protect Earth, at least.

But when the light faded away, nothing had happened. Not even the ship was destroyed. Strange used his powers to detect whether the spell had worked. It had. There was not even a scratch on A'lars' body.

"How dull, peon." A'lars sighed, before glancing away. As his interest in Strange faded, so did Strange's very existence. The Sorcerer Supreme was dead.

All of A'lars children clapped. "Yes, father!" Reia exclaimed. "Now we can truely see that you are stronger then our useless and extremely weak little brother Thanos, but stronger then anyone else in the universe, too."

"That...is the true meaning of balance." A'lars nodded. "Thanos got it all wrong. Balance is a lie. There is only...me."

A'lars turned back to the window. Soon he would head to Earth. If everyone was as weak as that wizard, however, this would be even more boring then he had expected.

Suddenly, something began to happen. The ships in A'lars' fleet began to explode. First it was one, then two, then twenty, until hundreds of A'lar's ships began to blow up, vaporized into tiny pieces.

"What is this!?" Drertos exclaimed. "No hero on Earth should be able to take out our warships like this!"

Something crashed through the window of the bridge and punched A'lars. To the overlord's surprise, was was actually launched back. He caught himself and took a look at the intruder. Now things were getting interesting.

The intruder was an older, blonde man was glasses dressed in a suit. He did not look intimidating in the slightest, and yet, he had been knocked back by him. That had not happen to A'lars in a billion years.

"State your name, foul one." A'lars, said, stepping forward. "Who does thou be?"

"Me?" the man chuckled. "Son, my name is Alexander Pierce, and I'm afraid that the planet you're about to invade is the property of Hydra. Turn your fleet around or things could get ugly."

"Alexander Pierce!?" Mikdos exclaimed, pushing up his glasses so they shone. "Ridiculous. You are dead."

"Death ain't a problem if even the ol' grim reaper starts to run when you come by, friend." Pierce grinned. "Now get off my lawn."

A'lars was amused by this man's arrogance. He summoned one of his Omni-Blades, huge swords that could (and had, many times) cut holes in reality himself. "Children, annihilate this charlatan."

"Yes, father!" they all exclaimed. Pierce laughed and unbuttoned his suit. It fell to the ground, revealing a black kimono. Pierce drew a katana and got into a pose.

"Come and get me, you spacemen!"

A'lar's children ran at Pierce. Each one was twice the strength of Thanos. Pierce closed his eyes and got a serene expression on his face. He called to mind his training in Japan. "Kyoryokuna ekusutorimupafekutopiasusurasshu." he said. There was a single slash...and then blood. All of Thanos' children lay dead.

"Ahh." A'lar's said, grinning at Pierce. To kill his children like that...that blade would have to be stronger then a blade that could slice a planet in half. This was going to be good. A'lar's summoned his second Omni-Blade. He got into the forbidden stance to preform his most powerful attack, Omnipitos Slash. This attack literally cleaved the concept in infinity into two. He had never used it before. No foe had been worthy. But this foe just might be the one.

"Well, now big daddy's in the game." Pierce chuckled. "I'm seeing some big-time cosmic power beyond that slash." he shealthed his katana and quickly preformed a series of hand signs. His hands moved so fast, A'lars could not even make out what they were doing. Pierce preformed one trillion hand signs, moving at speeds faster then the speed of light. This was done to focus his chi. Pierce was confidant he could win without it...but he was taking no risks here. Everything he had worked for was at stake.

"Death ist comith your way, swine." A'lars said regally, before he leapt forward, spinning his body to begin the Omnipitos Slash. He moved faster then the speed of time as he spun towards Pierce. Pierce drew his katana. He smirked.

"Arekusandapiasu no shinzan: Kyokugen e no hadokoa." he spoke. Then he leapt forward. Alexander Pierce didn't move faster then the speed of light anymore. He didn't even move faster then the speed of time. He moved faster then the _speed of speed. _The blade cleaved through A'lars' body. The pure force of Pierce's chi burned it to bits, until not even atoms were left. Then Pierce was alone on the bridge.

Alexander Pierce turned back to Earth, now surrounded with the remnants of the Titan Empire's fleet. He grinned. Captain America was going to pay for everything. It felt _so _good to be back.


End file.
